kontakt

Someone copied this little ditty on another thread. . . from another forum. . . but still on this web site. . . :chuckle This is very, very funny. Thought it deserved a "resurrection" even though it ain't the "holiday season". Gave me a muchly needed chuckle and a smile. Happy addiction. . . . :) (By the way, here's the post and thread that quoted these lyrics: https://allnurses.com/forums/f98/need-get-life-223164-2.html )

Currently, I travel 27.2 miles one way to work. Towards the end of March I start working for another facility. It's closer. It will be a 15.2 mile commute then.

To be honest, working at this steel factory was one of the best things I ever did for myself. I enjoyed the work and I enjoyed the people I worked with. I also worked as a cashier at a Burger King. And worked as a custodian for a 3 apartment complex. And sold home-made baked goods out in the open "Farmer's Market" in New York City. I lived and breathed the "working class" and "blue-collar" for many, many years!! LOL!! And I hold no shame with my life's history. Please understand, though, that nursing is attempting to demonstrate itself as a "profession". Our hospital instituted the punch-in clock ONLY for the healthcare staff (including aides and unit secretaries). The dietary people do not have a punch clock. The radiology techs do not have a punch in clock. The ER doctors, who are ALL employed by the hospital, do not have to "punch in"! The fact that, so far, only the healthcare staff must punch in is highly insulting, in my opinion. Maybe, later on, more of the other department employees will have to "punch in" too. So far, though, this is not the case. Rest assured that the MD's who are employed by the hospital, and have a 12 hour work schedule like I do, will never have to "punch in". If there were nursing staff being less than honest to how long a day they were working, why isn't our managment team holding them accountable individually?? Why is the entire nursing staff having our hands slapped for the actions of a few?? And ONLY a few! Because our 32-bed hospital is so small, we all know who these "few" are!! (Folks, this is 32 beds including all departments!) In my mind, this is far from being treated like and acknowledged as a "professional". There is no need for a time clock on any department within our small hospital.

In 1992, I started nursing @ a little over $12.00/hour. Eleven years earlier, in 1981, I was working as a steel factory worker making that same amount of money (it was 3-month summer job program that I had for 4 summers which paid for my college expenses). And Now? I can't complain about my current hourly rate as a nurse. My base pay is a little over $32.00/hour. But making $11.00/hour as a nurse in 2007 is not acceptable in any part of the country. There can be an argument made that making $11.00/hour by anyone working in any chosen field, in any part of the country, is unacceptable.

Spacenurse - I enjoyed reading your bio. Thank you for sharing a bit about yourself. You have been and will always be one of my favorite heroes found here at Allnurses. Peace and God Bless You! :)

I enjoyed reading your bio!

First, I want to thank you for your thoughtful responses. I guess I am caught off-guard with the mixed emotions that I am feeling. I am very excited to be starting this new job. I feel prepared for all the learning. I equally feel prepared to share all of the modest 15 years of nursing that I've experienced (including the 7+ years on my happy little ICU/CCU). But I am very sad to be leaving good people where I currently work. It is a small hospital. From a staffing point of view, one person leaving is exceedingly unpleasant for those who remain behind. I will also simply miss working with these good people. As a small unit and as a small hospital, we've gone through a lot of "ups and downs". Having shared all of these "ups and downs" has drawn us all closer together and made us tighter as a healthcare team. I look forward to meeting new co-workers, making new friends, learning new stuff. But I will miss this teeny-tiny unit within this equally teeny-tiny hospital.

Love codes! :) I sincerely do feel bad for the person who's receiving the code. But I LOVE codes! :pumpiron:

Another nurse who happens to be a male. Don't be fooled by my Avatar. All is NOT what it seems! LOL! (Don't tell anyone, but my avatar is actually a picture of my wife. SHHHHHH!)

We have a regular punch-in/punch-out clock. Our hospital just instituted the use of these unpleasant devices. I bitterly protested. A LONG time ago, I used to be a factory worker, complete with punch-clocks. Just seeing this aweful device reminds me of those factory days. I said to management, "I thought that nursing was supposed to be a profession?" (Please, I do not mean to start a "Is Nursing a Profession" discussion.) Management empathized, but said that a few people were "signing" in "on time" when they were actually starting work late. Implementing the punch-clocks is supposedly, meant to keep everyone honest. Supposedly, it will help save money. Interestingly enough, our weak union supports this venture. My take?? I always come to work early. Fifteen minutes early, most days. Additionally, I, quite often, would even start work the moment I set foot on the unit. This could be counting narcs, emptying foley's, hanging meds, checking the telemetry patients, etc., etc., etc. For good or for bad, despite starting work early, I STILL put down the time I was supposed to start (1900, for a 12 hour night shift). Basically, for good or for bad, I was giving 15 minutes of free service to the hospital. This is my time and I do what I wish. Well, they want us to punch-in no earlier than 5 minutes before (or 5 minutes after) the shift is supposed to start. So, I can't offically punch-in the time I actually start work. I feel like I am getting my hand slapped for the unfortunate actions of a few nurses. I, and many nurses at this facility like me, quite often start work early in order to lend our fellow nurse a hand. This obviously is not recognized with the implementation of the punch-clock. And it feels too "Factory Like". It surely doesn't feel like I am treated professionally. UGH. . . .

I work for a healthcare system that pays it full-time night shift nurses 40 hours for every 36 hours worked in one week. This could be 4 nine-hour shifts per week or 3 12-hour shifts per week. This is NOT just week-end work, by the way. These are regular 3 shifts per week (for 12-hour shifts) or 4 shifts per week (for 9-hour shifts). We are still obligated to work every other weekend. Without a doubt, this is a sweet deal! I don't know of any other near-by hospitals that offer this kind of full-time night shift benefit. Interestingly, it is STILL difficult to find full-time night shift nurses to work for our hospital. It is a tough benefit to give up. We basically get paid for 4 hours of non-work. I don't see myself working outside this particular healthcare system (which includes two hospitals, by the way). Interesting to read that other healthcare facilities offer similar benefits.

For 7 1/2 years I've been working on a very small ICU/CCU for a very small hospital. We've grown quite close as a unit. We're small but mighty. We know our strengths and we know our "weaknesses" (which, in my mind, is a strength). For example, any patient who is really, really sick should not be on our unit. They should be, and ARE, shipped to our bigger "sister" hospital to receive the care that they deserve. We simply do not have the medical resourses; there exists only a couple of part-time cardiologists and even a more part-time pulmonologist. So, if a person seriously crashes, away they go, as it should be. I am proud of our unit, I am proud of our hospital. Again, we may be small, but we are "mighty". We have our place in providing needed healthcare for many people throughout a large geographical region. Recently, our ICU/CCU provided a public educational lecture titled, "The Heart Truth: Women and Heart Disease". It was part of heart month (or was it heart week, I really don't remember). Despite being a small staff, we all did our assigned part of the lecture. We kept in communication with eachother via email, telephone calls and lots and lots of post-em notes. The public that attended seemed to learn from us. They also seemed appreciative of our effort to provide this public education. We had fun developing and presenting this lecture. The public seemed to enjoy themselves too. So. . . there exists a long and positive list of reasons for me to continue to work at this small, happy ICU/CCU which is a part of a small, happy rural-community hospital. But. . . yesterday, I FINALLY made a decision to leave. I accepted a position for a larger ICU/CCU which is a part of the larger "sister" hospital within our health system. I am still torn with this decision and with the whole decision process. I spent the past two months weighing the pro's and con's of staying or leaving. I feel like I am leaving a small community of friends, which I am. It is not just the ICU/CCU staff that work well together. I work nights and I can proudly say that the entire night staff (which is small in number but mighty in deed), work well together. It will not be easy leaving this night crew. I will miss them and the whole small, rural-community hospital atmosphere. What am I gaining in accepting the ICU/CCU at our "sister" hospital?? What are the positives?? Well, I will FINALLY will be able to experience the higher accuity of an ICU/CCU. I will be challanged in a way that is not possible at present. I eagerly look forward to this. The interview with the manager and assistant manager of this "bigger" ICU/CCU went quite well. They have worked together for many years and seem quite tight as a team. This is one huge positive. Finally, if in five years I become tired of ICU/CCU nursing, there will be ample opportunities for growth and trying out different units and different nursing positions. This does not exist where I currently work. Still, leaving this fine, small rural-community hospital will be quite emotional for me. What do I ask of you as you read this ever-growing post? Honestly, nothing. I thank you for just taking the time to read my ramble. But if you want to, please share YOUR story of when you left a unit for another working situation. How did you deal with it?

Me too! LOL! :chuckle Seriously though. . . First, I want to commend you for seemingly being self aware of your interests and of your stress level. I suspect that many people start their nursing program without thinking too seriously about the stress that comes with this profession. Almost every nursing position, I believe, carries some level of stress. We're dealing with people's lives. But I guess there may be certain nursing/healthcare specialties that may tend to have less stress involved (like the nursing position my wife is seeking, for example). One possible job involving less stress would be a drug rep. Although they tend to work long hours and do a lot of traveling, as well as dealing with cranky doctors, I would think that the potential stress level of a drug rep is less than one of an ER nurse or an ICU nurse. (I could be wrong, though.) I would also suggest discovering strategies in dealing with the stress. Sounding-off is one. This bulletin board is one HUGE example of people sounding off (typing) their stress. Networking is another. Being patient with one's self is still another. Most new grad nurses seem extremely stressed as they learn to practice what they learned. Developing outside hobbies is still another. For example, I like music. I like it a lot. In fact, I would LOVE to be a full-time musician. Again. It will be interesting to read the other responses that other people will share to this thread. Good luck with your career goals. It seems like you're off to a good start. :)

My wife (my avatar is a picture of my wife), who is also an RN, is applying for a case-manager type position for a kind of health spa for people who have $$$$. It's a day job. 10 hour days. Rotates to weekend every 3 weeks. During her 1 hour break, she can use anything within this "land for the la-ti-da's" health-fitness facility. And the pay is good. I guess she would be doing initial demographical, medical and physical assessments. The MD's at this particular facility would then "prescribe" the "treatment" (exercise, diet, etc). I am sure that there is a certain amount of stress to be found doing this particular nursing gig. But I still haven't figured out what exactly that stress would be. :chuckle I hope she gets this job.

Our ICU has been closed due to staffing. I work for a small hospital. It doesn't take much to have a staffing crisis.